Pep Talk: Working overtime

Dave Snyder

Monday

Oct 24, 2011 at 12:01 AMOct 24, 2011 at 6:17 PM

Two weeks after the Saxons thrilled a packed Merrill Field Homecoming crowd with a 27-24 overtime win over Hartwick, the Saxons dropped a 54-53 two-overtime nail-biter before a Homecoming crowd of nearly 4,000 at Frostburg State, in Maryland.

You win some. You lose some.

Two weeks after the Saxons thrilled a packed Merrill Field Homecoming crowd with a 27-24 overtime win over Hartwick, the Saxons dropped a 54-53 two-overtime nail-biter before a Homecoming crowd of nearly 4,000 at Frostburg State, in Maryland.

It’s the first time Alfred has played in more than one overtime game in a season since NCAA rule changes in 1996 outlawed kissing one’s sister. You know, tie ball games. Alfred has been guilty of sister kissing on 45 occasions in its long history. The last time a Saxon team tied was a 27-27 standoff with Brockport State in 1994. It won’t happen again.

After losing at Hobart, 25-19, in 2002, Alfred had won four straight overtime contests — until Saturday’s double overtime loss. There was a 23-22 win over Springfield in 2005, a 40-34 win over Rochester in a 2006 ECAC bowl game, a 36-33 win over St. John Fisher in 2008, and the Homecoming win over Hartwick Oct. 8.

And speaking of overtime, long-time followers of Alfred football looking at a game program might do a double take when they see the “Teta” name once again. Through the years, the Teta family has been working overtime in Saxon football uniforms.

Patrick Teta, a business administration sophomore from Avon, is a third-generation Saxon. His late grandfather, AU Sports Hall of Fame member Nick Teta (AU ’58), was a four-year starting guard for Alex Yunevich from 1954-1957, while his father, Larry Teta (AU ’82), was an offensive tackle for Coach Sam Sanders. Now in his second year at AU, the young Teta is getting plenty of playing time on the Saxon offensive line.

“I still run into people who remember my grandfather,” said the bulky 5-11, 245 pounder. “One guy told me that he was his high school coach and that ‘He was smart. He really knew his football.’”

Long-time AU Track Coach Cliff DuBreuil agreed, “He was the best line coach I ever worked with.” Nick Teta assisted DuBreuil with Alfred’s 1959 freshman team. That led to a celebrated high school football coaching career for which Teta was inducted into the Section V Football Hall of Fame. He had successful stints at Notre Dame High School of Elmira, Hornell High School, Aquinas Institute and Bishop Kearney High Schools, both in Rochester.

DuBreuil also had the pleasure of coaching Patrick’s father, Larry Teta, who in addition to playing football at AU, threw the hammer and captained the track team.

With his grandfather and father both having played football at Alfred and been members of undefeated Saxon squads, was there ever any doubt that Patrick would follow in their footsteps?

Actually, there was.

“Some of my friends were applying to ten or more colleges,” Pat explained, “But if they were accepted to all of them, it would be difficult making a decision.”

Teta, a three-time Livingston County All-Star for the two-time Section V champion Avon Braves, applied to just three — Monroe Community College, Alfred State and AU. He wanted to study construction management and continue playing football in college so his first choice was to enroll at Alfred State. But his attempts to contact the football coach were unsuccessful.

“When I spoke with family about my plans, they weren’t all that excited,” he said, “They really felt I was meant to enroll at AU.”

Teta is happy to be part of the AU football family and believes his business management major will get him to his career ambitions. As a freshman, he was a defensive lineman, but made the switch to the offensive line during spring training. His grandfather would be proud that his grandson could play either side of the ball. After all, Nick had played at Alfred when linemen were on the field for both offense and defense.

Asked whether he felt any pressure to be part of an unbeaten Saxon squad like both his grandfather and father before him, the young Teta admitted, “I’ve thought about it and it would be nice.”

He’s found college football to be more demanding than high school.

“I tell high school players that football runs your life in college,” he said. “There’s spring ball, off-season training, pre-season camp, and during the season, there’s watching film, studying playbooks, mandatory study hall and hitting the gym.”

It’s almost like working overtime.

EXTRA POINTS: The Saxons (4-3), who have lost two straight for the first time since 2007, will play at the University of Rochester Saturday, Oct. 29 with kickoff at 12:30 p.m. at Fauver Stadium. AU, while looking to get back in the win column, also hopes to avenge last year’s 24-14 loss to the Yellowjackets on Merrill Field. Rochester (3-3) started this season at 1-3, but has now won two straight with a 45-16 win over Merchant Marine and a 28-21 win over Worcester Tech … Hornell’s Austin Dwyer had 114 yards and two TDs on 16 carries at Frostburg … T.J. Kilcarr (Nanuet) got the start at QB and completed 19 of 38 passes for 243 yards and 4 TDs, also gaining 38 yards on 13 carries … Adam Schutz (Geneva) had six receptions for 66 yards and 2 TDs to lead the AU receiving corps.

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